I'm sure this topic has been beat to death a few times before, but i'm new to the mini-14 & the site. I've found a few see thru mounts but I would like some of your inputs on wich ones are the best for a 581 series. 2 that seemed to stand out are the B-square see thru rail model#14507, & The country Shed model MNT-214. I also liked the design of the Weaver see thru rings model#49723 but i heard they block the rear sight on the 581 series. Thanks for any feedback.

I have a B-Square rail as well, it works very well, but any time you need to remove the bolt you have to remone it. It is held on by 4 seperate clamps with screws it can be a pain to align. I used RED LocTite on one side (left) and purple on the other side that way my alignment stays put, but after several monthe I went back to the B-Square side mount, it works alot easier for me and hold zero when I remove it and put it back on, I also dont have to take it off the pull the bolt.

How easy are the iron sights to use with the side mount from b-square installed?

I want to be able to go from scope to iron sights without transition. I tried see-thru rings, they worked but they impeeded vision just enough to make iron sight shooting difficult, and I heard (as did the original poster) that the see-thru mount from b-sqare does not work with 581 minis.

Is the "see under" side mount really good, or would I be better off with a scout mount from ultimak and quick release rings?

How easy are the iron sights to use with the side mount from b-square installed?

I want to be able to go from scope to iron sights without transition. I tried see-thru rings, they worked but they impeeded vision just enough to make iron sight shooting difficult, and I heard (as did the original poster) that the see-thru mount from b-sqare does not work with 581 minis.

Is the "see under" side mount really good, or would I be better off with a scout mount from ultimak and quick release rings?

It's like normal, nothing to obstruct your vision for the iron sights. I've used the B-Squre since the 80's (back then no see thru option) and it has worked great for me, I can even remove the adapter with the scope and remount it later and it will still return to zero. Setup and LocTite are key factors here, if done right no problem, if not alot of complaining over nothing.

I have Weaver see-thru rings on my mini-14 6.8 SPC. I just had my friendly gunsmith mount a Bushnell scope. I've posted pics here in this forum on another thread. I simply LOVE see-thru scope rings. I also have them on my 12 guage Mossberg.
There is an issue with the Weaver's however. With my front ring mount, the hand guard doesn't have enough room to detach easily. A tiny edge of the front ring overhangs a sliver of the hand guard. This does not bother me in the least but you may check to see that the base of the front mount isn't blocking the hand guard. As I've said, I can clean the rifle completely without detaching the hand guard from the barrell, but that's just me. If I want to detach the mount, I could get the hand guard off, but it's not necessary to do so to clean the weapon.
The beauty of the see thru ring is that I can still use the great ranch rifle iron sights. They are very accurate at short distances.
Good luck with whatever brand you choose.

It's like normal, nothing to obstruct your vision for the iron sights. I've used the B-Squre since the 80's (back then no see thru option) and it has worked great for me, I can even remove the adapter with the scope and remount it later and it will still return to zero. Setup and LocTite are key factors here, if done right no problem, if not alot of complaining over nothing.

Could you make a thread with a detailed explanation of the best way to setup the B-Square side mount so whenever anyone complains about it they can be referred to that thread?

I have Weaver see-thru rings on my mini-14 6.8 SPC. I just had my friendly gunsmith mount a Bushnell scope. I've posted pics here in this forum on another thread. I simply LOVE see-thru scope rings. I also have them on my 12 guage Mossberg.
There is an issue with the Weaver's however. With my front ring mount, the hand guard doesn't have enough room to detach easily. A tiny edge of the front ring overhangs a sliver of the hand guard. This does not bother me in the least but you may check to see that the base of the front mount isn't blocking the hand guard. As I've said, I can clean the rifle completely without detaching the hand guard from the barrell, but that's just me. If I want to detach the mount, I could get the hand guard off, but it's not necessary to do so to clean the weapon.
The beauty of the see thru ring is that I can still use the great ranch rifle iron sights. They are very accurate at short distances.
Good luck with whatever brand you choose.

I've heard a few guys say the weaver see thru's blocked there rear sight a little and they had to customize them a bit, were yours totally clear right out of the box or did your gunsmith tweek them a bit? I was also curious if the weaver see thru's seem pretty sturdy after they are mounted? I'm new to mini's but I assume that your 6.8 cal mini is a 580 series? Thanks for any info CD

I have a 581 series with B-square side mount and I can see the iron sights with no problem. The scope sits just a bit high for a nice cheek placement on the stock but it isn't too bad. Easy on and off too.

I have a 581 and the Weaver see-thru rings which I picked up from Optics Planet:

WEAV 49723 See Thru Rug Mnt 77-22/M14R

The Weaver rings do not have dovetail clamps (like the Ruger rings) but instead have simple blocks that pinch the receiver. Even so, the Weaver rings are very secure to the receiver after tightened down with the hex key & they hold the scope solid.

The rings increased the scope position 1/2" higher then the included Ruger rings. The change in scope height did change how I aligned my eye with the scope. I had to rest my cheek on the stock for the irons & when using the scope rest my jaw on the stock instead. Not a big deal but, just thought I'd mention it.

The cross screw which tightens the Weaver rings onto the receiver did interfere with the iron sight alignment for a 100 yard zero (at least on my rifle). What I decided to do was to raise the rear aperture so that I could clearly see the front post through the aperture & over the ring tightening screw. By doing this my point of impact was raised by 2-3 inches at 100 yards. It was not possible to zero the iron sights at 100 yards without modifying the Weaver rings, which I did dot do.

Based on ballistics tables, I decided to increased the rear aperture & set the POI around 4-5 inches high at 100 yards as a battle zero which should result in the POI being at about zero for 200 yards & 4 inches low for 300 yards.

Prior to my purchase I was aware of the line of sight issue, and can say that the rings have absolutely exceeded my expectations. I am very happy I picked them up. I can now practice with iron sights without removing the scope and should my scope fail I have an instant backup.

If you can live with the limits of the Weaver rings, I wouldn't hesitate to spring for a set.

Creek Duck, sorry it took so long to reply to your question. My mini is the 580 series in 6.8. The mount looks to be out of the box perfect. The rings sit where they should and I can clearly see the rear sight peep floating just under my scope. I've run just about 100 rounds so far and the scope hasn't moved at all. At this point, I'm experimenting with the perfect bullet for 100 yds. I am getting 2" groups consistently. I couldn't be happier with my mini. While it is still brand new, I feel that it is the best rifle I could have gotten and I couldn't be happier with it. It is nice to hear SG's comments about his Weaver rings. The mini's ghost ring aperture is very accurate for me up to about 50 yards, even from a standing presentation, and I couldn't bear to part with it just to scope the rifle. If you haven't already taken the plunge with the weavers, I recommend it for anyone who wants the best of both worlds. Good Luck!

Anyone used these mounts from UTG? They look fairly secure, but are they stable enough to be practical? I'm considering one for my older Mini-14, but I'm not building a competitive rifle, just a good SHTF and fun shooter.

I was reading the posts here thinkin of different mounts for scopes. I had a flash. These types of mounts work well for brass deflectors too? Or even a separate deflector for protecting scopes mounted with rings utilizing the side plate as an attachment point.